The future of the European aerospace industry A summary of proceedings of the high level conference on "The future of the European aerospace industry", held in Brussels in November 1996, has recently been published. The conference was organized by the European Commission and European Parliament, in cooperation with the E... A summary of proceedings of the high level conference on "The future of the European aerospace industry", held in Brussels in November 1996, has recently been published. The conference was organized by the European Commission and European Parliament, in cooperation with the European Association of Aerospace Industries (AECMA). It brought together representatives of the Commission, Parliament, the industry, European governments, and research agencies to discuss the future direction of one of Europe's key industrial sectors. The summary outlines the keynote speeches given by Commission President Jacques Santer, by Ursula Schleicher, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and by the past and present presidents of AECMA. These speeches looked in particular at the contribution that policy at Community level could make to the development of the European aerospace industry. The book of proceedings also contains outlines of the four panel sessions held, addressing the following topics: - Aerospace and defence; - The aerospace industry: A vital contribution to Europe's mobility; - The role of space for Europe's development; - Aerospace: A technology driver. The fourth panel session looked at European research efforts in the aerospace field, with senior Commission officials briefing participants on the contribution of the Fourth Framework Programme to aerospace research, and the recent work of the Aeronautics Task Force.
